Mulan (character)
“''You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty.” : ―The Emperor to Li Shang about Mulan '''Fa Mulan (花木蘭)' is the protagonist of Disney's 1998 animated feature film of the same name and its 2004 direct-to-video sequel. She is inspired by the legendary Hua Mulan from the Chinese poem The Ballad of Mulan. Her speaking voice is provided by Ming-Na Wen while her singing voice is provided by Lea Salonga. Mulan is the 8th official Disney Princess and the only one in the line-up who is not actually royalty through either birth or marriage. Personality At the start of the film, Mulan is introduced as a free-spirited outcast, clumsy and unable to follow rules, regulations, or traditions. Nevertheless, she has a warm heart, and wants nothing more than to uphold her family honor, while keeping true to herself. Because of society, however, this is difficult to accomplish, often bringing chaos and embarrassment into her life. The driving force of Mulan's journey is the love she has for her father, whom she joins the army in order to protect, as well as her desire to prove her own self-worth. She was seen having difficulties with self-confidence, due to society's mistreatment towards her, as well as the pressures of the society she was born into—particularly in the lives of women. Early in the film, whenever she went against sexism and injustice, or simply handled a situation in her own, unique way (such as shouting "Present!" when the matchmaker called her name), Mulan was greeted with anger or some form of annoyance from those around her, thus furthering her socially-awkward attitude. During her time in camp, Mulan's personality takes a shift. She proves to be fierce, physically and mentally, as well as self-reliant, impressionable, and persistent. As she learns the ways of strength and agility, she becomes the top of her class, setting an example for the men surrounding her, eventually garnering their respect and friendship. Over time, Mulan's quirky ways, and comedic elements are faded, symbolizing her growth, as she becomes more of a mature woman by the third act of the film; one who has the ability to perform successful tactics through quick-thinking and mental observation, as opposed to mere brute strength (something that is idealized in her camp) which would eventually result in saving her fellow soldiers, as well as China, on notable occasions. Nevertheless, she retained her humble nature, not once becoming overconfident and boastful, even after becoming a beloved heroine and receiving countless amounts of praise and respect from the very society that continuously opposed her. It wasn't until Mulan returned home and received a loving welcome from her father that she truly emoted her satisfaction over her previous successes, proving her goal, overall, was to uphold her family honor, while being true to herself; this being visually and thematically represented by her relationship with her father. By the sequel, it is shown that Mulan's personality, seen during the latter half of the first film, has remained. Mulan is a responsible young woman, seen as a fearless warrior, leader, and beloved role model amongst her people, both men and women. Nevertheless, she is also fun-loving and jovial, especially when seen with Shang, whom she had developed a strong, romantic relationship with by the start second film. The sequel also shows her to be rather laid-back, open-minded, and philosophical, believing in the practice of following one's heart.